Secret Window
by Sarah August
Summary: Esther decides to use Elena in her plans to turn her family human. Starting with Elijah. AU story based on the recent Tatia episode on TO TV series. Based in TVD S6 and TO S2.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Secret Window

Summary: Elena is kidnapped by Esther who hopes to use her to guilt Elijah into accepting her offer to be human. Will Elijah convince his mother to give her _gift_ to Elena instead? Will Elena want that gift?AU story based on the Tatia episode of The Originals.

Set in S6 of TVD and S2 of TO. AU.

Pairing: Elejah

Author: Sarah August

* * *

><p>"<em>What are you doing, Elijah?" Asked the woman in his arms. "Everyone will see us."<em>

"_I want to kiss the woman, who I want as my wife," confessed Elijah to his love. "I want my entire family, the entire village to know."_

_His love accepted his kiss when he pulled her behind a tree, away from the partying crowd. "We should tell, Niklaus, first."_

"_I will tell him," Elijah insisted. _

_He was left fearing that his brother may bewitch her into changing her mind. Niklaus had a special charm over the girl he loved. It hadn't been a decision she had made lightly. His love held a special fondness for his brother in return. A fondness that could turn into more, if Elijah was not careful. _

"_Alright," His love agreed. "We shall be married by the next full moon." _

Elena felt Elijah's lips upon hers as if he was inside her dorm room itself with her. She blinked and the images were all gone. She was alone in the room. After a few minutes, Elena got out of bed and got ready for the day's classes.

She couldn't understand why she'd have such a dream about Elijah. She hadn't seen him in several months, ever since he had moved to New Orleans with Klaus. And her own life was very preoccupied right now. Damon's return had complicated her life even more so.

When she had spent the last couple of weeks wondering if she would ever regain her memories about Damon, while trying to decide at the same time if continuing to spend time with Liam was such a good idea now that Damon was back. Damon's first instincts were to kill and maybe ask questions later. Elena was left with worry that the guy she had started to like might pay the ultimate price for her affection.

Elena, ready for the day, stepped out of her dorm room and gasped in surprise at who awaited her on the other side of the door. It had been well over a year since she had met him, but Elena would not forget his face. He was the Original she had helped her brother kill after all.

"How are you, _darling_?" Kol Mikaelson asked.

Kol then roughly snatched the younger vampire into his arms, smothering her with a vervain soaked cloth. Kol then carried Elena out of the building, walking through the hallway filled with her dead classmates. Their necks dripping still with their blood.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean, you've been having dreams about some old girlfriend?" Rebekah exclaimed into the phone, disbelieving the story that Elijah was giving her. Rebekah could then be heard cooing to the youngest member of their family. A baby's laugh then filled Elijah's ears, making him smile in spite of the stress he was feeling.<p>

"Not just any old girlfriend, Rebekah," Elijah replied softly. "They were about _her,_ our last days together with _her_. When we were still human..."

Rebekah froze and Elijah could picture Rebekah scowling viciously. She held no love for any of the Petrova's they had known. Even the one her older brother had planned to marry. Rebekah felt that Tatia had intentionally took her time to decide between Niklaus and himself, and even after her choice was made, Tatia still had no intention of honouring_ that choice_. Rebekah had felt that Tatia had relished in the attention of them both, and wanted to keep things that way. Putting brother against brother.

"Have you went back to Mystic Falls to chase after that damned devilish Gilbert girl again? That would likely give anyone nightmares about the past...A perfect reminder of Tatia, if there ever was one. Did you hear that idiot Damon Salvatore recently returned from the dead too? It's like everyone is doing it..."

"Rebekah!" Elijah exclaimed. "I really believe that there was something different about this dream. It was like I could actually feel..."

"Eww, please brother..."

"I think it was about the past, but I also think that I wasn't alone in the dream. It was like..."

"Like what, Elijah? Get on with it..."

"It was like, Elena was there too."

"Oh, bloody hell. Go tell Niklaus about your weird, doppelganger fetish dreams, Elijah... Or, better yet, Kol... I don't want to hear it, goodbye."

Elijah frowned as the phone line went dead.


	2. Chapter 2

"You need to quiet down. Mother wants her here," Finn told his younger brother.

Kol frowned, glaring at the heap he left on the floor of the living room of the home he now shared with his family. "But I so wish to kill her. She doesn't deserve to live after everything she did to me."

"Kol, put Elena on the sofa before you leave. Mother will be livid to see her dumped on the floor like last nights dinner."

"Last nights dinner was delicious," Kol told his brother. "I made sure to eat all her little flat mates before we left."

Finn shook his head. "Kol, you need to show mother a more reformed you, if you want to become human again."

"Who wants to become human?" Kol laughed softly. "I like what I am."

Kol then left the house, leaving Elena where he left her.

Finn took the trouble to put Elena on the sofa, briefly wondering if the young doppelganger would be of help in uniting their family, simply because of who she looks like.

* * *

><p>Elijah stepped into the main entrance of the home he shared with his family in New Orleans. He still wasn't used to having everyone, altogether, again. Finn, Kol, his mother... even his father was alive again, but not with them. His father still lived with only one goal in mind.<p>

Rebekah still remained safely hidden away from the rest of the family. She lived somewhere close to Mystic Falls for the last month. It was the hope that the spell over Mystic Falls would continue to discourage any supernatural beings from the area. It made an ideal place to raise one of the most supernatural beings ever in existence. His niece _Hope. _

Niklaus and Hayley both requested to know nothing of their daughter's location. Out of temptation to go to her, and out of fear their enemies might somehow learn that the baby actually still lived. Hayley had begun drifting more into the world of her werewolf pack, planning to move there permanently with them. Also she had started a romantic relationship with the werewolf Jackson, explaining she was not prepared to wait for any man to decide if he loved her or not. And Elijah was not prepared to tell his brother he perhaps had grown to have romantic feelings for the mother of his child.

Niklaus seemed to approve of the potential relationship, and then sometimes he did not. Out of jealousy that perhaps his own brother might best him in the role of father to his child. It was not a task that Elijah was prepared to be settled with. Constantly having to sooth his brother that he'd never replace him in the eyes of his own child. It made Elijah decide to just not go there with Hayley. To a place they'd live to eventually both regret.

Their siblings, believed lost forever to them, Finn and Kol, had returned recently to them from the dead. Explaining the veil dropped, letting them both go free. Mikael and their mother too. They were now all the one big dysfunctional family, they once were in life.

Elijah walked into the living room, surprised to see his mother standing by the fireplace. He looked beside her, his eyes going in the direction of the sofa. Elijah stepped back a pace, stunned by the sight that greeted him.

Elena Gilbert, still a very young vampire, lay passed out on his family's sofa. He had not seen her in person in several months, and was floored to see her here, like this. "Mother, what is this? Why is she..." Elijah started, his voice rising in anger.

"I brought her here, for you, Elijah," His mother replied simply.

"What?" Elijah asked rather brokenly. His eyes darted to Elena, wondering wildly why she wasn't awake. What had his mother done to her? "What do you mean, _for me_?" Elijah said darkly. "Release her, and let her go home. I will not have her involved in our twisted family games..."

"But you do have feelings for her, do you not?" asked his mother, emotionless. "Would you not like to be with her, Elijah? Have the opportunity you lost with Tatia, with _Katerina_..."

"Don't," Elijah snapped at that last name. "You have no right to rehash this with me. Both Tatia and Katerina are dead, and I was never involved with Elena that way... so just _don't_..."

"But you wanted to be. You never pursued her though for fear of rejection, given her affection for two brothers..." Esther dared to say. "But they are both out of the picture now, so why not her, Elijah?"

"Damon Salvatore _still lives_..."

"Yet does not hold her heart as he once did," Esther continued. "So, _again_, son..."

"Elena is her own person. She is not Tatia or Katerina..." Elijah argued swiftly.

"But she is a woman who you have very strong feelings for. So much, that you walked away from her, and got involved with her _doppelganger."_

"You know nothing of my feelings for Katerina," Elijah countered hotly. "And I will not discuss them with you, or listen to the sick game you obviously have planned for myself with Elena."

"What really stopped you from pursuing Elena, Elijah?"

"She was spoken for and held no such feelings for me," Elijah broke out.

"That never stopped you with Tatia," His mother countered.

"Tatia loved me, not Niklaus."

It even sounded weak to Elijah. He knew his brother had very strong feelings for Tatia in their youth. It never stopped Elijah from chasing after her, finally winning her over.

"Elena is here, Elijah," His mother continued. "And she held a very strong attraction for you, and still does. You could have her, if you really wanted her."

"No," Elijah replied coldly.

"What if you were human, Elijah?"

Elijah stopped. "What?"

"What if you could be the kind of man that Elena would _want to be with_? What if, you could be human?"


	3. Chapter 3

Elena opened her eyes and could see that she was in an unfamiliar place. She heard familiar voices, but couldn't quite place them. She thought briefly of the date with Liam, for lunch, that she was likely missing right about now. Guess she should rightfully clue him in on her knack for getting herself kidnapped by old, ancient vampires, who wanted to usually kill her.

Elena had hoped it would have stopped after becoming a vampire herself, but it seemed that they still had an interest in her. She stood up and was surprised to see who the source of the voices were. She had been right in guessing that one voice belonged to Elijah. The other caught her off guard, seeing Elijah was speaking to his very dead mother, who was no longer dead. She looked as very real as anyone could be.

"Elijah," Elena spoke softly, catching the attention of mother and son. She felt on her guard, ready to run. She might have a chance to at least get out of the house before Elijah managed to catch her. Someone might catch sight of her.

"Elena, my apologizes for meeting again, this way," Elijah started uneasily. "I was unaware of my mothers intentions, until most recently."

"And what are her intentions?" Elena replied nervously. She eyed the witch who had an unnerving calm about her.

"I mean you no harm, Elena," Esther said. Elena flinched, remembering her last encounter with Elijah's mother. She had forced Alaric to become an Original vampire, taking her blood from her, also by force.

Elena decided to put that to the test, and used her vampire speed, to make a run for it. Elena winced in pain as her body connected with a spell at the front door, which prevented her from leaving the house. She was locked inside this place. "Why am I your prisoner, if you mean me no harm?" Elena countered to the witch.

"I need you, Elena, to help me unite my family," Esther said simply.

Elena stared in disbelief at the witch. "What?"

"Mother, Elena cannot possibly be of any use to you," said Elijah. "Why not release her?"

"I need for Elena to help me make you realize, that you have a choice, Elijah," replied his mother. "You don't have to be the monster, that I made you to be, any longer. I could help Elena too."

"Help me?" Elena asked. Her tone showed her rising anger at the witch. "How can you be of help to me? You had your son kidnap me and take me to another state. My friends likely have no clue as to where I am right now."

"Elena, what has been your biggest regret, since becoming a vampire?" The witch asked softly. "It is something that looms of your new relationship... with Liam... isn't it?"

Elena remained quiet in defiance of Esther. She had no right to know anything about her. Especially about her new boyfriend. If you could even call Liam her _boyfriend_. They hadn't the chance to speak about what they were becoming to each other yet. There had been a few dates, a few kisses, and they had a good time together. Then Damon returned, her _dead _boyfriend who wasn't so dead anymore, and she had chosen to forget him.

It was difficult to reunite with a returned-from-the-dead _boyfriend _when you could no longer remember why you fell in love with him, or even why you came to the decision that you'd be better off never remembering him at all. Elena believed Damon when he said that he loved her, and she had loved him, but the feelings she had for him were gone with the memories she had chosen to have erased.

It made Elena believe that maybe she had done the right thing by choosing to forget her past with Damon. You would think if her feelings for him had been real, they would still be there, even after the compulsion.

"You regret that you're no longer human, don't you, Elena?" Esther pressed. "I want all of my children to be given that choice again. Wouldn't you take it, if you could?"

Elena blinked at the question. A feeling of sorrow filled her at the thought. Of course she would, if given the choice. When she had been human, she had been happy. She had been in love with Stefan, and had believed they'd have lasted forever. It still hurt knowing that it didn't last forever.

"I refuse to share my answer with you," Elena snapped. Those feelings of when she had been human, and about Stefan, were all her own, and she would share them with no one.

Before Elijah could get between Elena and his mother, his brother Kol appeared in behind Elena in a flash, and snapped her neck.

"Kol, that wasn't necessary," barked Esther, furious.

"Of course it was, mother," Kol replied, a smile playing on his lips. "She was boring me to tears. I could hear her crying, all away across the house. And no worries. She's more durable now, being a vampire and all."

"Kol," interjected Elijah. His tone was dangerous, an edge heard just beneath the surface.

"Ah, yes, sorry brother. I failed to tell you of the errand mother sent me on. Apparently it's for the greater good and all," Kol replied swiftly, leaving the room. "She's convinced the little _Petrova_ doll will inspire you."

Esther and Kol then exited the room, leaving Elijah alone with Elena's body. Elijah sighed darkly, before going over to Elena and picking her up, carrying her to a spare bedroom upstairs.

* * *

><p>"Elena," said Elijah softly.<p>

Elena began to stir at the sound of his voice and she opened her eyes. The look in her eyes showed her surprise at seeing him, but then she visibly relaxed somewhat, when she remembered where she was.

"Elijah, what's going on here?" Elena exclaimed. Her tone was hushed. "Why did your mother have Kol take me here?"

"My mother has the belief that you will inspire me to come to the decision she wants me to make," Elijah said simply. "She wants to still correct her wrong of making all of her children turn into vampires as she did before. However, my mother wishes to first give us a choice to have the human life we were denied..."

"What happens if you don't want to be human again?" Elena replied. Her eyes were wide with fear for him. She had witnessed the power of his mother, his entire family, more than once.

"Then, I will die, I suppose, lovely Elena," Elijah said. His eyes downcast at seeing the wave of pain cross her face at the idea of him dying. "I have lived on this earth, for over a 1000 years. Perhaps dying will be a wonderful thing."

Elena's heart went out to Elijah immediately. She knew the feeling. What it was like to believe that maybe you'd lived long enough, and it being your time to leave this earth, might not be such a bad thing.

She felt it once, when her parents had died. Secondly, when she had first become a vampire. Elena remembered feeling so sad about being a vampire, that she had wanted to die. She had only chosen otherwise, because Jeremy still had needed her. If she had chosen to die, her brother would have been entirely alone. Elena had ultimately decided to live as a vampire for Jeremy. Not Stefan. Nobody else.

Elena had grown used to this life. It had been a long, hard road to get the confidence that she had now. And Damon was back, and everyone seemed to expect her to go back to what it was all before. But the thing was, Elena couldn't remember what Damon had really meant to her.

The idea of getting another chance at being human again was terribly tempting. Would it bring her missing memories back, or would it give her the confidence back she felt was slipping, and let her go on with her life? Even if it meant becoming human again, Elena honestly felt she'd consider the possibility.

"Do you ever think that life, here, being what we are, can ever be wonderful, Elijah?" Elena asked thoughtfully after a long silence.

"There have been fleeting moments," Elijah admitted, his tone somewhat defeated. "But moments only. When I believe that there will be more, it usually ends in regrets and tragedy, Elena."

Elena cupped his face in her hands and drew herself closer to him. Her heart broke at his visible heartache, edged through the decades and decades of walking the world, with no end in sight. Elijah gasped at the contact, fighting the urge to draw her closer and take advantage. Old feelings were creeping up for Elijah, which now confused him. He had believed himself caring for another, but with Elena's presence, those feelings were challenged now. "Elena..." He whispered softly.

Elena found herself drawn to his lips, but soon pulled back, realizing they were not alone. "Sorry for interrupting," grumbled the young woman who entered the room and Elena knew her immediately. It was Hayley, Tyler's friend from Mystic Falls. Klaus's baby's mother and apparently something to Elijah too by the look on his face. He snapped himself back from Elena's touch, leaving Elena feeling very foolish.

Elena vanished into the depths of the house after that, using her vampire speed to escape the scene of Elijah's apparent girlfriend, catching him in a compromising position, _with her_. Elena flushed again, partly in disbelief that anything would ever happen like that, with herself and Elijah, and from a feeling of unexpected jealousy that she didn't quite understand.

Suddenly, Elena was missing Mystic Falls, wishing she could go back to her college life, and her new college boyfriend, grasping some sense of normal again.


	4. Chapter 4

"What's going on, Elijah?" started Hayley first. "Why is _Elena Gilbert_ here, of all people, and why were you almost kissing her?"

Elijah's first instinct was to tell Hayley the truth immediately, but thought better of it. It would be a risk to her safety to reveal his mothers plans for himself and his siblings. Also, there was a part of him that felt irked by her accusatory tone. She made it clear that she was done with waiting for him to decide what he wanted, and truthfully, Elijah had accepted that choice. He was glad to be free of the complications that seemed to engulf their flirtation.

And when she began a relationship with the werewolf, Jackson, almost immediately after revealing that she was done with waiting for him, Elijah realized that perhaps Hayley's feelings for him had not matched his depth of feeling for her. He had let himself fall for a woman who he had barely known, mainly to avoid feeling anything for the loss of a woman he had loved for a very good portion of his vampire life. Elijah had barely begun to touch the surface with his grief over that loss. Now with this new matter with his family, he had to accept there would never really be a right time for anything for himself.

"Hayley, why are you here, in this house?" Elijah countered calmly. "It was my impression that you had moved out, and moved on, with your werewolf friend _Jackson_."

"I wanted to see you," Hayley replied, her tone revealing emotion. "But I had no idea that you weren't taking visitors today, accept for _Elena_."

"Elena is a guest in this house, who will be staying with my family and myself, for an extended period of time," Elijah snapped. "If you do not like this, I do suggest that you leave here, and mind your own concerns."

"So you start up a relationship with someone, right after I_ walk out the door?_"

Hayley sounded deeply hurt right now and Elijah lowered his head. He could not care, not anymore, about her. Not with Esther here and everyone else in his family. "Hayley, may I remind you that you had done, _exactly that_, after leaving _me_?"

Hayley then huffed angrily and then stormed out of the house. Elijah felt the slightest urge to go after her, to make it clear he still did care, but those feelings no longer mattered. Eventually she'd see that too.

* * *

><p>"Where do you think she is?" Damon asked Stefan.<p>

The Salvatore brothers had been searching for Elena for over three hours, finally ending with a trip to Whitmore itself. They had even called Jeremy, although it was impossible for Elena to go home. Even Jeremy hadn't heard from her. Caroline hadn't seen Elena since yesterday, and had taken the time to remind Damon that Elena might be spending time with her new boyfriend.

After finally fighting the urge to hunt the new _boyfriend _down, Damon asked Stefan to find out if Elena was with Liam. Damon fought relief, mixed with a sense of disappointment, when Stefan said Liam was alone. It meant that Elena was still _missing. _

"Maybe she decided to just take off for a few days?" offered Stefan. "Elena has been having a hard time adjusting to your _return from the dead, _combined with her not remembering you and your relationship, and your putting pressure on her to remember anyway..."

"Elena would have never chosen to wipe her memories of me, Stefan, if she'd known I would be back," Damon said. "You know that..."

"Maybe not," Stefan agreed. "But I know she's happy, Damon. Happier than she's been in months. Elena likes going to school and being with her friends again. She has goals for herself and is seeing a future for herself for the first time since..."

"She _died_," Damon supplied nastily. "You can say it, Stefan. You believe that I should just let her go. After everything we meant to each other, you believe I should walk away and let someone else be with her..."

"If you really love her, Damon," replied Stefan softly. "You'll leave the decision up to Elena."

"She once wanted a future with me, _Stefan_," Damon retorted, rather weakly.

"I could say the same thing, Damon," Stefan quipped back. "But I recognized it wasn't something that she wanted anymore. So I did the only thing left that I could do. I let her go."

Stefan then left Damon standing by the car and went inside the bar for a drink.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry for the most awkward reunion in history back there, with Hayley," said Elena.<p>

Elena had sat herself down on some stairs by the double glass doors which lead out to a balcony, inside the spare bedroom that Elijah had brought her to earlier. The room was filled with day light, reminding Elijah of the girl she had once been, when he first met her. Very human, and very beautiful, despite the tears.

"Ah, it was an awkward reunion, already in the making," Elijah confessed. "Nothing, I believe, could have possibly improved upon it."

"Are you... with her...?" Elena asked, which surprised him.

Elijah smirked slightly, intrigued by Elena's interest in who he might be seeing. But he did not wish to push things too far. Least not yet. So he would go gently with her. He knew she was recently serious with the Elder Salvatore brother, but he had no idea really where that stood. She no longer felt the same about Damon as result of erasing memories of their romantic involvement.

"That's an interesting question," Elijah noted. "But no. Perhaps we were once, but we did not get to put a label on it. We had too many things to consider first, other than pursing a relationship."

"I have something like that," Elena admitted. Now Elijah was surprised again. Was there someone else, other than the Salvatore's? "He doesn't know that I am a vampire, and I don't know if I can tell him."

"Do you trust him?" asked Elijah softly.

His guess was that Elena didn't trust this new beau of hers. Elijah couldn't deny that this information intrigued him too.

"He's a good guy, I just... I have doubts about whether or not he's...the one for me, you know? I like spending time with him, and all, I just..."

"You're not in love with him, but you feel you should be," Elijah guessed in one shot.

"He's everything I used to like in someone," Elena confessed. "Liam is the good guy that my mom always told me that I should look for, fall for..." Elena added lamely.

"And what was Damon exactly, then?" Elijah asked. He couldn't keep the soft laugh out of his voice.

Elena's face fell. "I have no memories, remember. I have no idea what I saw in him, or why I would leave Stefan for_ him._.."

"Surely you have feelings still though," Elijah reasoned.

Elena shook her head. "Says the guy that almost let me kiss him." She blushed after saying it, and Elijah grinned.

"You are one of the most beautiful hostages, I have ever met," Elijah confessed. He studied her as she moved towards him. She looked purposeful again, and Elijah allowed her to touch his face and lean in to kiss him.

The kiss was soft, soothing, and left him with a warmth he hadn't felt for anyone in some time. "Elena, while I am most flattered by your intentions towards me, and I confess that I have always wanted a second chance for our first kiss, but..."

"But what..." Elena asked softly. "I am my own person, Elijah. I am not with Stefan anymore, and I don't remember anything about my feelings for Damon, why not _this_..."

"I know that you were in love with Damon, _Elena_," Elijah replied. His voice showed the emotion that he couldn't hide. Not from her.

"And I know that once, maybe more than once, that you had feelings for me," Elena countered. Elijah blinked at that. He really hadn't thought she had ever noticed. There had always been Stefan, and then he had heard about her going to the other brother, _Damon_.

"There were _moments_, Elena," Elijah confessed. "But I have never been in the position where I could have dared hope that it could be anything more. And I am not in the position now, where it could be anything more. You can certainly understand, can you not?"

Of course. His family. His mother... maybe even Hayley... Elena felt like a stupid teenager with a crush. She nodded, fighting tears of upset. "I'm sorry, Elijah," Elena agreed. "It won't happen again..."

Elena moved to leave and Elijah blurred in front of her. "I never said it had to come to that..." He spoke softly, kissing her this time. Elena returned the kiss with passion, happy he would give this a chance.

* * *

><p>"<em>Elijah...what have you become..." cried Tatia. <em>

_Elijah roughly grabbed Tatia to him as she screamed in horror. _

Elijah bolted awake in bed, free of the nightmare. He had fell asleep thinking about the passionate kisses he had shared with Elena that afternoon. How it would be, if they had lead to more. Since her arrival, Elijah hadn't been able to stop thinking about the young vampire, and how he had felt for her when they had been in Mystic Falls.

Elena had stirred feelings within him back then, feelings Elijah knew would have lead to nothing back then. She had been in love with Stefan, during that time, and had been developing feelings for Stefan's brother, weaving a very complicated problem. It had left no room for Elena to ever consider that perhaps there was a door number three for her. Another choice she could make, saving the Salvatore's from fighting each other, and perhaps saving herself as well. Elijah had fallen in love with Elena after getting to know her, and seeing that maybe there was a chance that there was still good people left in the world amidst vampires. Loving Elena had given Elijah a reason to hope again after hundreds of years of disappointments and loss.

He had given Katherine another chance, one of many, not _too_ long ago. It had broken him to realize that enough time had not past to allow him to trust her again. Perhaps she had been honest with him about her feelings for him. Elijah still liked to think that she hadn't been lying to him about that. He still missed her in his darkest of moments.

Elena and himself both had other lovers, and feelings invested else where. Perhaps now would be their time together. Elijah only wished that his family wasn't so involved to darken it so much.

* * *

><p>Elena thought of trying to call home, but thought better of it. Yes, she was kidnapped, and likely should be trying harder to escape, but she found herself to be illogically drawn to remain here.<p>

She never expected for anything to happen with Elijah. From the start, she had felt this unexplainable connection with him. At the time, when she first met him, Elena had never given it any real serious thought. She had been in love with Stefan, back then, and her love for the younger Salvatore had been unshakable, at that time. Elena wouldn't have seen anyone's interest in her, back then.

There was a small part of Elena that was left feeling guilty over this new thing with Elijah. Back home, everyone still saw her as Damon's girlfriend, even though she had made the decision to forget that part of her life. Even Stefan saw her as his brothers girlfriend, not even his _former_ anymore. It had shook her up to see that Stefan had stopped being in love with her. Elena knew it was over for them though. Her being with Damon had changed Stefan's feelings for her. Elena hadn't needed her memories to see that. When Stefan looked at her now, that undying love was gone. He still cared, but it was different now.

As much as seeing that change in Stefan had bothered her, Elena held no desire to go back to what they once were. She couldn't explain it, but Elena knew that their time together had passed. Faded into just memories and old feelings that she'd never feel again for him.

No, she wouldn't try to call home for help. Elena did not want Damon coming to her rescue, and she knew that he, her new proclaimed _true love_, would be the one to lead the charge. Elena just wasn't ready to face him again, and deal with his demands that she remember something she did not feel anymore.

Least with Elijah, he did not place demands and expectations on her. From him, Elena received his passion. He would not try to force her to feel something for him that just wasn't there.

Elena decided to seek out Elijah again, leaving the phone at it's place on the wall.


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you not afraid of the doppelganger escaping?" asked Finn to his mother. "She seems to have free reign over this house, and has friends in Mystic Falls that could come and aid in an escape attempt."

"I don't believe that we need to worry about that Finn," replied Esther. "She has had many chances now to send word for help, and I believe we have an unexpected ally in keeping Miss Gilbert here."

"What do you mean, mother?"

"I believe that your brother Elijah is already so besotted with Elena, that he'd never let her go," said Esther thoughtfully.

"You really think he'd stop her from leaving..."

"When Elijah falls in love, it's always been desperately so," Esther said, recalling the past. "When he first realized that Tatia held affection for him, he stopped at nothing to keep her away from Niklaus. Elijah never lets anything stop him from getting what he really wants. He tries to butter it up, but he is the same as your brother in that respect. So no, I don't believe that he'll ever let Elena go."

* * *

><p>"Elijah," said Elena. She walked into his bedroom, seeking him out, using her vampire senses to find him. His scent was easy for her to trace. It was something of trees, fresh stream water, and everything else that was beautiful about the woods.<p>

"Elena," Elijah said. He set down his book by the window and stood up from the cedar wood chair in the corner of the room. He studied her. She was determined, mixed with something else.

"Am I your prisoner?"

The question made Elijah shift uncomfortably. He wanted to tell her no, but he couldn't just help her escape either. If he even managed to help her escape the house, his siblings would hunt her down for his mother. If this idea of hers failed, Esther may lose all patience with Elena, and decide it would be best to be free of all the Petrova doppelgangers. Elijah could not accept the possibility of losing her.

Not now. Not when they were so close to discovering what this was exactly that was brewing between them.

"Elena, no, you are not my _prisoner_," Elijah spoke honestly. "However, I cannot aid you in any escape attempt. If you go free, my mother could very well decide it best to end her plans altogether. She would have any one of my siblings end you. She will kill without remorse if she is convinced there is no other option."

Elena nodded. "I expected as much. But, I am really in no hurry to get back home."

She crossed the room, moving towards him. Elena placed her hands on his chest and kissed his lips softly. Then, in a wicked move, she ripped his dress shirt free of his pants, making Elijah gasp into her mouth. "I always thought about doing that..."

"No you didn't," Elijah laughed softly against her mouth.

Elena stole his lips into another kiss, leaving Elijah near blissfully breathless. "Alright, I didn't. But I should have," Elena told him with a small smile. She then took his hands in hers and moved for the bed in the room.

"Elena," Elijah stopped her. "This... this shouldn't happen like this. Not when you are not even free to walk out the front door."

Elena cupped his face. She took a moment to admire just how handsome he was. "Let me be the one to protect my honour, Elijah. At least, for right now."

Elena then fiercely kissed him, taking in everything that Elijah could offer her for the moment. Her attentions awakened his own passion for her and Elijah was lost. He happily drank in silken olive skin, with soft limbs, wrapped with his. Her breasts delighted him as her body melted into his own on the bed. Daylight went, and moonlight marked what now belonged to him.


	6. Chapter 6

"_You don't think we'll be caught," asked Tatia. _

_Elijah grinned at that, taking it as a challenge. He gathered her up into his arms, adjusting her dress to feel her legs around him. She giggled and blushed, and Elijah delighted in the mere sight of her. "I do hope so, my love," Elijah whispered. He then adjusted himself and then proceeded to make it come true as she made little sounds of pleasure. _

_In the distance, Niklaus went searching for Tatia, worried. They were meant to meet by the fire that night at the winter solstice celebration for the village. Niklaus had planned something very special, and hoped this night would mark one of many for them. He hoped this would be the night that Tatia finally agreed to be his wife._

_Instead, Niklaus began to hear sounds that not only changed his mind about the girl he had loved for years now, he felt his heart shut itself away from the searing pain that soon followed the realization that Elijah had lied about his feelings for Tatia. He also stepped in when his back was turned and stole away the woman that had been meant for him. Which had been near promised to him! _

Elena awakened to the sun in Elijah's bedroom and immediately noticed that he was lost to some dream. Elijah moved in his sleep like he was trying to escape something. She shifted in the bed, closer. The sheets moved with her as she tried to gently nudge him awake.

"Elijah," She spoke softly. Elena hated seeing him like this. His face was contorted in pain as the nightmare refused to let him go.

* * *

><p>"<em>Elijah, I can't believe that we will be married tonight," gushed Tatia. <em>

"_My father will approve the match, I am certain," Elijah said. "It isn't as if my brother was truly interested in obtaining your hand. He has had weeks now to pursue it. And anyway, you are already my wife, in every other sense of the word. My father must approve." _

"_I love you, Elijah," promised Tatia. "It was always you."_

* * *

><p>Klaus hung up the phone after a long conversation with his sister Rebekah. His sister had gone into hiding again, intent on helping to keep his greatest secret safe. Making a brief appearance to help pacify the curiosity of their mother and other siblings.<p>

Rebekah had told their mother, under no circumstances did she wish to be human again, any longer. Gone was her dream with the cure, realizing it was just a dream, and not something to seek again, after 1000 years of walking the Earth in the form she had now. Klaus knew that it was far from the truth though.

His sister was willing to sacrifice her greatest wish in order to help protect his child. Rebekah had said she had found what she had been truly seeking in her time with his daughter. Hope had helped her find her humanity again. Klaus knew there was the smallest part of him that wished the same for himself. Perhaps he'd find some of his humanity again by being a father. Any glimmer he had of it blinked out the night that the love of his life died. When he lost her, he had lost everything left that had been good about himself.

Klaus looked up in surprise from his seat in the living room, when the mother of his child walked in. He had thought she had fled upon learning of Elijah's newest conquest by the name of Elena Gilbert. Klaus had briefly felt something keen to pity for Hayley who held the foolish notion that Elijah was a good choice to give her affection to. Elijah had been drawn to Hayley, but his attention would forever be stolen, by olive skin and doe eyes, set in the face of a Petrova. Hayley would be no match next to the likes of a lovely vision that Elijah has loved for over a 1000 years.

"Why the hell is that bitch upstairs sleeping with Elijah?" Hayley growled. "Whatever happened to the Salvatore's panting after her? Weren't they enough?"

Klaus smirked at that. Ah, yes, the running joke of Mystic Falls. Was sweet Elena really_ so sweet_? Had she been sleeping with them both, _all along_? It did take her a bit to get around to it, but she certainly had eventually. While the little doppelganger was certainly pretty enough, Klaus found her to be a pale imitation to the real thing.

"I do not keep track of my brothers conquests, Hayley," He replied impatiently. "If you have trouble keeping a hold over my brother, I do suggest dumping your werewolf friend. My brother does not like to share."

Hayley huffed angrily before stalking out of the house and Klaus could only grin at what he had just likely started. If given the choice he'd choose Hayley for his brother as a mate. It would only serve to keep his daughter close by by having her mother close down the long road. He had no use for Elena, or her part in his mothers plans for his brother. He'd see it finished. Soon.

* * *

><p>"<em>Elijah, please, don't,"<em> the gentle voice, once filled with so much love for him, exclaimed.

All Elijah could see was red and he continued to hold Elena's wind pipe in an iron grip. She'd betrayed him with Niklaus. She had lied. She didn't love him.

"_Elijah...I can't..." _

Elijah's eyes turned black with rage and he sought to end her life. She didn't deserve to live if she wasn't going to spend her life with him. His teeth sunk into familiar flesh, and he drank from her, breaking bones as he did so.

It was soon done, and the rage went, and the focus returned. Tatia was dead. It was over. She couldn't hurt him ever again. Elijah turned to look at the body on the bed and something in him snapped. This wasn't right. It was her face, but it wasn't right. It was her lips he recalled tasting, but it wasn't her. This wasn't right. It hadn't been Tatia. He realized. It hadn't been Tatia, because he had killed her, over a 1000 years ago.

The body on the bed looked at him, and the guilt took him over. He hadn't killed Tatia, he had killed Elena. Broke her neck as he had took what he had wanted, listening to other bones break as she had fought for her life, and lost. She had been no match against his strength.

Elijah reached out to touch her gentle face, eyes dead. Elijah cried out when she did not move. How could he have brought her into all of this? He'd been weak. He had let her in.

Elijah fell off the bed in attempt to get away from the blood stained sheets, and the dead eyes of Elena Gilbert that held his.

His screams soon ripped through the rest of the house. Elijah failed to notice the body on the bed beginning to stir, and he did not see Kol enter the room with Niklaus, studying the situation. It would be hours before Elijah heard anyone speak to him at all.


End file.
